Lister



W. H- SILVER June 11, 1940.

LISTER Filed July 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

g m v ATTORNEYS w v Z Z 5 H r. e a a W June 11, 1940. H, SILVER LISTER Filed July 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. Walter H. Silver ATTORNEYS Patented June 11, 1940 p 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LISTER Walter H. Silver, Moline, 111., assignor to Deere &

Company, Moline, 111., a: corporation of Illi-. nois I 1 Application July 28, 1938, Serial No. 221,752

10 Claims. (oi. 97-950)- The present invention relates generally to agri-- the tractor by means of a yielding hitch device cultural implements and, more particularly to l2 which is also shown in the aforementioned ,liftingconnections for implements of the tractor patent. The rear ends of the beams 6, 1 are conmounted type having a draft frame connected nected by a U-shaped cross bar l3 and a trans- 6 to the tractor for vertical-movement and indeverse tool bar I4. The tool bar I4 is adapted to 5 pendent depth gauging means, and lifted from carry a plurality of laterally spaced groundworkground working position by power lifting mechaing tools l5, of which only the center one is shown nism on the tractor. lIn tractor mounted implein the drawings. Each of the tools 15 includes an ments of this kind itis necessary to provide for. upwardly and forwardly curved standard 16 some lost motion in the lifting connections to perwhich is fixed by suitable clamping means ll to 10 mit the implement to follow the undulations of the tool bar I4. i i the ground surface under the control of its in The depth at which the tools I5 operate is dependent gauging means. It isalso desirable regulated by a pair of. laterally spaced gauge that the amount of lostmotion be maintained wheels2ll, each ofwhich is journaled on the end about the same in all settings of the depth gauging of a Z-shaped crank "arm 22. The crank arms 15 means of the implement so that the raising of 22 are swingab-ly supported for vertical swingthe implement is started immediately after the ing-in suitable bearing brackets 23 which are lifting operation is initiated by the operator, not clamped tothe tool bar 14 by clamps 24. Each only to give the operator more accuratecontrol of of the gauge wheels is raised and lowered by 20 the raising of "the implement but also, as will means of a hand lever 25 fixed to a transverse 20 appear more clearly hereinafter, to prevent shock rock shaft which is supported on the beam l4 loads being imposed on the lifting mechanism. in suitable bearing means 32. Lifting arms 3-3 Atthe same time, all this must be accomplished are clamped to the rock shafts 30 and extend forwithout causing the implement to be raised too wardly therefrom to a point above the wheel 5 high so as to interfere with the tractor in any bearing portions of the crank axles 22. A link 25. setting of the implement draft gauging means. 34 connects the end of each of the lifting arms' 33 The object of the present invention is to prowith its respective crank axle 22. The hand vide improved lifting mechanismior an implelevers 25 are locked-inposition by the usuallatch ment connected to a tractor for vertical movemechanism 35 engaging notched sectors 35 fixed :10 ment and having independent depth gauging to thebeamsB, 1, respectively. 30 means, whereby lifting of the implement is The implement is raised from ground working started substantially at the same time and is position; shown in solid lines in Figure 2, to carried each time to the same height irrespective transport position, shown. 'in dotted lines, by ofthe setting of the depth gaugingmeans. power lift mechanism indicated generally by the 5 Other objects and advantages of the present referencenumeral 40 which is of a conventional 35 invention will appear after a considerationof form of the type disposed at the rear of the the following detailed description of the pretractor axlehousing and includes a transversely ferred embodiment thereof, reference being had extending rock shaft 4| journaled in a housing to the appended. drawings, in which: 42 and extending laterally from each end thereof. g Figure 1 is a plan view of a tractor mounted Clamped on each end of the power life rock shaft 40 lister embodying my improved lifting mechanism 4| and extending rearwardly therefrom is a pickand i up arm 43, each of which is provided with a lift- Figure 2 is a side view taken substantially along ing arm 44 disposed parallel to the lick-up arm. theline 2--2 in Figure 1 and showing in dotted The inner or forward end of each of the lifting lines the position of the implement in raised arms has a transversely bent portion 45 which 45 or transport position. M i is journaledin the pick-up arm at a point closely Referring now to the drawings, the lister is adjacent to the rock shaft 4!. The outer or generally of the type shown and described in derearward end of the pick-up arm 43 is provided tail in my prior Patent No. 2,196,037, issued April with an offset lug 4B which extends laterally 2, 1940, and comprises a draft frame 5 having a under the lifting arm 44 and is adapted to receive 50 pair of: spaced fore and aft extending beams 6 a bolt 50 in threaded engagement therewith. and 1 which are disposed beneath a tractor 8 The bolt 50 provides an adjustable limit for and are pivotally connected at 9 to a hangerilll downward swinging movement of the lifting arm swingably supported on the tractor body at l I. sothat the lifting arm 44 is free to swing up- Theldraft. beams 6, l are further connected to wardly relative to the pick-uparm 43 when the 55 latter is in its normal lowered position, as shown in solid lines in Figure 2, but when the power lift rock shaft M is rotated in a clockwise direction, the stop bolt 50 engages the lifting arm 44, causing it to swing in unison with the pick-up arm to the position shown in dotted lines. Connecting each of the lifting arms 44 with the implement draft frame is a link 53 which is pivotally connected at 54 with one of two bars 55 that are fixed to the rear ends of the draft beams 6, 1, respectively, and extend forwardly therefrom. Each of the bars 55 is connected to the cross bar I3 by an angle bracket 56.

I have found that when too much lost motion exists between the lifting arm 44 and pick-up arm 43, the power lift mechanism is overloaded and all lifting connections are excessively stressed at the moment of engagement. This is particularly true when a large number of planters are carried on the tool bar l4 and are operating at a shallow depth,- as Whenplantingcotton. Therefore, in order to keep the amount of lost motion between, the lifting arm 44 and pick-' up arm 43 within certain limits for all settings of the depth gauge wheels 20, and at the same time to raise the implement to about the same height irrespective of the depth setting, the outer or rear end of the lifting arm 44 is curved, as at 5!, about an are described by the end of the link 53 rotating about the pivot bolt 54 when the implement is in the, raised position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The curved portion 5| is provided with a plurality of bolt holes 52 spaced along the length thereof, which are adapted to receive, a pivot bolt 63 to connect the link 53 with the lifting arm 44 at anyone of the positions thus provided. Since the bolt holes 52 are'all equidistant from the pivot bolt 54 in the raised position, the implement will be raised each time to the same height, while in the lowered position the distance from the pivot bolt 54 to the bolt holes 52 varies according to the position of the bolt hole along the length of the arm. Thus, when the operating depth of the, tool has been properly adjusted bymeans of the lever '25, the link 53 may be connected with the lifting arm 44 so as to secure the minimum amount of lost motion in the lifting connections necessary for proper operation of the tool by passing the bolt Gil through the nearest hole 52 in the arm 44 when the latter is lowered.

The lifting force ofthe power lift mechanism is augmented during the first portion of the lifting stroke while the earth working tool is being torn out of the ground, by a pair of counterbalancing springs 68, each of which is con-.

nected at one end to the pick-up arm 43 and at "the other end to a lever 62 which is pivotally connected at 63 to the respectivedraft beams t, l, and lifts against a stop 64 on the beam in a manner shown and described in detail in my prior patent.

The operation of the implement is as follows: g

When it is desired to plow deep, the gauge wheel is swungupwardly by the hand lever and the link 53 is connected to the lifting arm 44 using one of the outer bolt holes 52. This has the effect of lengthening the link 53, thereby causing the lifting arm 44 to be swung upwardly relative to the pick-up arm 43 to provide a certain amount of clearance between the limit bolt 54 and the pick-up arm 44., In practioe I have found that the most satisfactory op-' eration is secured by leaving an angle of l-.0 or

15 degrees between the lifting arm 44 and the limit bolt 50, as this is suificient to permit ample vertical movement between the implement and the tractor as they travel over uneven ground and yet prevent the implement from hanging on the rock shaft. At the same time,the lifting arm 44 is engaged by the limit bolt 50 within the first 10 or 15 degrees of rotation of the pick-up arm 43 when the power lift is actuated by the operator, and the implement is raised to an elevated transport position sufiiciently high to clear the ground. 5

To plow shallow, the gauge wheel 20 is swung downwardly to the desired extent, raising the draft frame 5 and tool I5. The link 53 is accommodated to the shorter distance now existing between the draft frame and rock shaft 4|, by connecting the link to the lifting arm 44 using one of the bolt holes 52 at the inner end of the curved portion 5|, toward the pivot 45. This swings the lifting arm 44 downwardly to about the same position, relative to the limit bolt 50 as in the deep plowing setting, and the lifting arm 44 is engaged by the pick-up arm 43 wit hin the first 10 or 15 degrees of rotation of the latter, as before. Also, the implement is raised to the same elevated transport position as in the deep plowing setting since the length of the link 53 is the same, and all of the'bolt holes 52 are-equidistant'from the pivot holt 54 in the raised position. 7

What I claim as my invention, is: j

1. In combination with a tractor having power lift mechanism including an actuating rock shaft, an implement having a ground working tool, draft means connecting said implement to said tractor for vertical movement, gauge means for regulating the working depth of said tool, an arm carried on said rock shaft and adapted to swing upwardly with rotation thereof, said arm being unrestricted againstupward'swinging during ground working operation, link means connected with said implement and disposed substantially perpendicular to said arm when the latter is raised, and means for connecting said link means with said arm at a plurality of points spaced along said arm.

2. In combination with a tractor having power I) lift mechanism including a transverse rock shaft, an implement having a ground working tool, draft means connecting said implement to said tractor for vertical swinging, gauge wheel means carried on said implement for regulating the working depth of said tool, a pick-up arm rigidly fixed on said rock shaft'and swingable vertically with rotation of said shaft, a liftingarm adapted for swinging movement with respect to said pick-up arm, said pick-up arm being adapted to engage said lifting arm to swing the latter in one direction when said rock shaft is rotated, a link, means for pivotally connecting said link to said implement, and means spaced equidistant from said last named means when arm to limit the pivotal movement of the latter in one direction, a link, a pivot connecting said link with said implement, and a plurality of pivot connections disposed along said lifting arm substantially equidistant from said first named pivot when the lifting arm is raised for connecting said link thereto.

4. In an implement comprising a supporting frame, a ground working tool connected there,- with for vertical movement betweenoperating and transport positions, and means for regulating the working depthof the tool,,an arm supported on said frame for vertical swinging, lifting connection between said arm and said tool providing a limited amount of lost motion therebetween when the tool is in operating position,

said lifting connection comprising link means, a

pivot bolt connecting said link means with the tool, and means adjustable along the length of the arm for connecting said link means therei with, said arm being curved to form an are about said pivot means as a center when in raised position, whereby the amount of lost motion in said lifting connection can be maintained sub stantially constant and the tool raised to, the same transport height for all depth adjustments of the tool.

5. In an implement comprising a supporting frame, a ground working tool connected therewith'for vertical movement between operating and transport positions, and means for regulating the working depth of the tool, an arm supwith for vertical movement between operating ported on said frame for vertical swinging, lifti ing connection between said arm and said tool providing a limited amount of lost motion therebetween when the tool; isin operating position, said lifting connection comprising link means, a

andtransport positions, and means for regulating the working depth of the tool, an arm supported on said frame for vertical swinging, lifting connection between said arm and said tool providing a limited amount of lost motion therebetween when the tool is in operating position, said lifting connection comprising link means, a pivot bolt connectingsaid link means with the tool, said arm having a-plurality of holes arrangedin an are described about said pivot bolt when the arm is raised, and means engageable with said link and with any one of said holes for connecting the link to said arm.

"7. In combination, an implement frame, a tool connected with the frame for. vertical movement between operating and transportpositions, means forregulating the operating position of said tool with respect to the surface of the ground, a lifting rockshaft journaled on said frame, a pick-up arm fixed to said rock shaft and swingable vertically with rotation thereof, a lifting arm pivoted for swinging movement with respect to the pick-up arm, said pick-up arm being adapted to engage said lifting arm to swing the latter upwardly therewith, a link member, a pivot bolt connecting said link member with said tool, and means for connecting said link member to said lifting arm at any of several points spaced equitant from said pivot bolt when the arm is raised, said several points being spaced at varying distances from the pivot bolt when the arm is lowered.

8. In combintion with a tractor having power lift mechanism including an actuating rock shaft, implement having a ground working tool,

draft means connecting said implement to said tractor for vertical movement, lifting connection between said rock shaft and said implement for raising the latter to transport position when the rock shaft is rocked in one direction and pro viding a limited amount of lost motion when the implement is in working position, said lifting connection including link means pivotally connected at one end with the implement, an arm carried on said rock shaft and adapted to swing upwardly with rotation thereof, said arm having a curved portion arcuate about said one end of the link when the arm is raised, and means shiftablealong said curved portion of the arm for :3

connecting the other end of said link means wit the arm.

9. In combination with a tractor having a power lift mechanism including an actuating rock shaft, a tool carrying frame connected with the tractor for vertical movement between working and transport positions, a pick-up arm fixed to said rock shaft and swingable vertically with rotation thereof, a lifting arm pivoted for swinging movement with respect to the pick-up arm and engageable thereby when the pick-up arm swings upwardly, a link, means pivotally connecting the link with said implement, and means for connecting said link to said lifting arm at any of several points arranged along an are de-- scribed about said pivotal connecting means, as

a center when the arm is raised. 1

10. In combination with a tractor having power lift mechanism including a rock shaft, an implement having a ground working tool, draft means connecting said implement to said tractor for vertical swinging; a pick-up arm rigidly fixed on said rock shaft, a lifting arm pivotally connected to saidpick-up arm, a stop-on said pickup arm engageable with said lifting arm to limit the pivotal movement ofthe latter inone direction, a link, a pivot bolt connecting one end of said link with said implement, and a second pivot bolt connected with the other end of said link, said lifting arm having a plurality of bolt holes arranged in an are described about said first named pivot bolt as a center when the arm is raised and adapted to receive said second pivot bolt.

WALTER HZ. SILVER. 

